


Except the God of War

by nonamouse



Category: Troy (2004)
Genre: M/M, Minor Character Death, UST
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-28
Updated: 2014-07-28
Packaged: 2018-02-10 19:02:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2036460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nonamouse/pseuds/nonamouse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The encounter at Apollo's temple, with a twist</p>
            </blockquote>





	Except the God of War

**Author's Note:**

> More stuff I wrote back in the day. These characters are not mine.

Apollo's temple is dark; well, always dark, but now, if not for the God's shining light it would be pitch black. Hector stumbles over the tangled bodies of the two temple priests and feels a small grief at the death of the two men and then a deeper pang, for surely his cousin is dead. He squints in the dim light, hunting for her body, thinking it best that he be the one to bring her to her mother.

Movement catches the corner of his eye and he reflexively puts his hand on the hilt of his sword. A shadow steps into the light and Hector freezes, dazzled by a man who must surely be Apollo himself. He starts to lower his guard and notices the blood on this man's hands and clenches his sword hard enough to make his fingers ache.

The man smiles indulgently. "You must be a brave man, coming in here alone."

"These men were unarmed." Hector says.

"You must be Hector." The man replies and moves towards him; light footed and sleek as an Egyptian cat. "And I'm sure you've heard of me."

Hector tightens his jaw and realizes that he has. The warrior Achilles is legend in the world of soldiers and Hector, one to doubt what he hasn't seen with his own eyes, never believed that such a man could exist.

And now that he knows, he finds himself disappointed that the man is as mortal as he.

There is something easy in Achilles' demeanor that makes Hector drop his guard a bit, though he keeps his hand near his sword just in case.

"I hear you're the best."

Hector nods. "That's what they say." He pauses. "I hear the same of you."

"Then you hear true, Prince." His mouth curls up in a smile and his yellow hair catches a shaft of sunlight and Hector wonders if there might not be a little of Apollo in this man after all. "It'll be a shame to kill you." Achilles continues. "For though I admire your bravery, I am a warrior first."

"As am I, and I would kill you here if you would fight."

Achilles shakes his head. "No, Prince Hector, not here." He moves closer, too close, lips brushing Hector's cheek and whispering so softly he can barely be heard. "You are a fine man. Such a shame." He draws away. "A shame."

In spite of himself, Hector feels his blood thrill up into his face and his muscles itch to touch. And perhaps there is something of Aphrodite in him instead. He exhales wetly against Hector's face and brushes past to stand outside, squinting in the sun.

Hector follows. "Do you not fear the Gods?"

Achilles spares him an amused glance and goes for his sword, Hector has no time to draw his own before he realizes that Achilles has no intention of attacking him. His form and balance are perfect and he moves like a dancer and smoothly cuts the head off of Apollo's statue set, arrow drawn, to guard his own temple.

He smiles impudently and Hector chokes on his own piety and shock as the God fails to strike Achilles down.

"Go on, Prince, go back to your city. There's been enough killing for today." Achilles clucks at him disdainfully.

Hector looks at him uncertainly; hand on the hilt of his sword, eyes drawn helplessly to the twist and pull of Achilles' muscles. And there is something in Achilles' eyes that says Hector can trust him and so he goes with one quick glance backwards.

Achilles is not watching him go.

~Fin


End file.
